The Portland daily press., 1887-06-25
THE BRUNSWICK GHOST.
by REV. s. Barring GOULD.
[Cassell's Magazine.l

LCassell's Magazne.l
In Brunswick is college-the Carolinum
about which curious ghost story was
told In 174S, which created a good deal of
stir, not only in the little capital itself, but
throughout Germany. In 1746 there died in
the college one of the masters, Dorien by
name, worthy man, who had always con-
Quoted himself well, and had discharged his
duties conscientiously. He was a quiet,
amiable man, who gave no offense to any
one; man generally respected alike by
the masters and the pupils, and also by
those few who knew him in the town.
On the night that he died he sent word to
another master, named Hofer, that he par
ticularly desired to speak to him. Hofer
was reused from sleep, jumped from bed,
hastily dressed, but arrived too late in the
sick mans room to receive his communica-
ton. Dorien was at his last gasp. He rec
ognized his friend, clasped his hand and
tried to speak; but his words failed. He
died without having been able to:give This
parting communication to his friend.
Shortly after the death of Dorien, the ru-
NOR spread that the dead man had been
seen in the passages. But as those who pre-
tended to have seen him were only pupils of
the college, no Importance was attached to
the matter. Their testimony was regarded,
and justly on such matter as this. to be un-
deserving of notice of the masters, and pro-
fessors. Nevertheless, the rumor continu-
ally broke out again, after short subsistence
The masters were yexed, and wished that
the innocent and blameless memory of Do
rien should be left untrlfied with, and also
undisturbed by idle tongues. II any man
deserved to rest in his grave that man was
Dorien.
However, in October, 174S, something oc-
CURED which reused attention seriously,
and made the masters of the college sus-
pect that there was something real at the
bottom of the strange reports that had
reached them.
Mr.. Hofer was walking, between II and
II, through the domitory corridor, to see
that all the pupils were in bed in their sever
al cubicles, and that all was quiet, when, as
he approached the door of a room occupied
by Mr.. Lampadius, one of the professors, he
saw the dead man sitting there on chair,
dressed in his old dressing gown, with a
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which he held together under his chin with
his right hand, and so pulled the cap down
as only to show the eyes and nose, mouth
and chin.
Mr.. Hofer was so astonished that he stood
still and looked attentively at the apparition,
unable to trust his eyes, or realize that he
saw old Dorien in spirit. He was some
what frightened, and had to struggle with
himself before he could resolve to pass; but
he did this, and went into the room of Mr..
Lampadius, and shut the door behind him.
He did not rouse the sleeper, but paused
within minute, and then opened the door
and went out again. Then he saw the APP
partition seated as he had seen it before. He
raised his lantern, and threw the light full
on the face of the spectre; but at the same
moment such sense of horror and faintness
came over him, that he was for moment
unable to draw back his hand.
After this event for several months the
hand remained swollen and painful, and he
had difficulty in using it,
Next day Hofer related what had har-
pened to Mr.. Oedern, professor of mathe-
matics- Oedern, as a philosopher, and
man of plain common sense, laughed at it,
and Insisted that Hofer was either the dupe
OF practical joke, played by one of the
scholars, or that he had dreamt the whole
concern. When, however, he was able to
persuade Hofer that this was the case, he
offered to accompany him ON his round next
night, and either discover the author of the
deception, or convince his fellow-master that
he had seen nothing
Next night, between II and IL, the two
men made the circuit of the college dormito
ries together. As they approached the door
Of Lampadius's room, the professor of math-
ematics started and exclaimed:
Halo that's Dorienv' Hofer said moth
ing, but opened the door, and went into the
room. AS he came out again, he saw the
same apparition in the same position as the
night before, and Oedern stood with his
hand to his brow, looking at it open-eyed
and with an expression Of utter bewilder-
ment. They both studied the figure for
some time. The face was deadly pale. max
ing the black beard look blacker than it
was in life. Neither had the courage to ad-
dress the spectre and without a word to
each other or it, they retreated along the cor
ridor to Hofer's room.
Both spoke of the apparition the next day,
and several of the professors sat up the next
and following night in the hopes of seeing
Dorien's ghost; but their expectations were
disappointed; they saw nothing. Oedern
himself revisited the passage at midnight
but he saw the ghost no more there, and said
impatiently to the others:
Come, I've done my best to see this spir-
1t; If he wants me now, he must come for
me- will 60 after him no more.'
A fortnight later, he was reused in his bed
at an early hour, but at what hour he was
uncertain, except that it was between 3 a
m. and a. m. He felt himself shaken as If
taken by the shoulder When he opened his
eyes he saw the same figure Of Dorien, in his
white night-cap and dressing-gown, standing
between his bed and a cupboard which was
about two PAGES off, against the wall. We
are not told how Mr.. Oedern saw it, whether
by hisiown phosphorescent light or by the
light Of the moon shining into his room.
There are many small particulars in the
story which are not detailed and which
might help us to explain it. He raised him
self in bed and fixed his eyes steadily on the
aPphiiIiVL, MulcH IeHdlueu VlSlDl6 IOr ABOUT
eight minutes, and then faded.
On the following night, at about the same
hour, he was again reused; but there was
this fact, he observed, which had escaped
him previously, and which, to our mind, is
significant. He heard the doors Of the cup
board creak, and sound exactly as if some
heavy person were leaning against them.
The figure he saw as before. This time he
addressed it with the words:
go forth, thou evil spirit Wherefore
contest thou here to disturb me?"
When he said this the figure made signs of
distress, shaking its head, wringing its
hands, and moving its feet Then Oedern
began to repeat some of the hymns in the
Lutheran psalm-book. The ghost disap-
peared while he was thus occupied. After
that Prof. Oedern was left undisturbed
for a full week; but again, at the end
OF that time, he was reused about o'clock
in the morning by feeling of cold
horror, and he saw the ghost apparent
ly issue from the cupboard, and come to
him, and lean over his bed. This was more
than he could bear the professor jumped
out of bed, striking as he did so at the figure,
which recoiled before him toward the cup